All-American girls: Nickles, Bates named to FloSoftball first team

Madilyn Nickles’ travel log is befitting of her title on the softball circuit: All-American.

The Merced junior was recently named to two high school All-America teams, including a first-team selection by FloSoftball on Thursday. Nickles, a undeniable talent at virtually any position and the youngest member of the U.S. Junior National Team, was selected as a utility player.

She is one of four Stanislaus District players recognized by FloSoftball, an online news and recruiting hub for fast-pitch softball’s various organizations.

Nickles led the Bears in hitting (.526), hits (51), doubles (16) and home runs (eight). From the rubber, the UCLA commit finished second in the Sac-Joaquin Section in strikeouts with 287 in 1782/3 innings, and closed the season 22-6 with a 1.18 ERA.

While she wasn’t awarded a third consecutive Central California Conference MVP by the league’s coaches – that award went to crosstown rival Shyan Crutcher – Nickles’ accomplishments have been celebrated at the national level.

She is a two-time second-team All-American by USA Today and CBS MaxPreps, respectively, and a touring member of the U.S. Junior National Team.

“I’m actually surprised. I’ve never gotten this many awards or had my name on so many lists,” Nickles said. “I think it’s really amazing.”

Team USA will travel to Ohio later this month before taking part in the International Softball Federation Junior Women’s World Championships in Oklahoma City in August.

“We’ve traveled a lot and met a bunch of people. I’ve had little girls come up to me and tell me they want to do what I do when they’re older,” Nickles said. “It’s really inspiring and makes me want to be a better player.”

Nickles is joined on the FloSoftball first team by another do-it-all junior: Nicole Bates of Ceres.

The University of Washington commit hit .518 with a .567 on-base percentage and 59 hits, including three home runs. Bates led the Bulldogs with 14 doubles and seven triples. She also swiped 14 bases, scored 51 runs and committed only four errors in the field.

FloSoftball, which measures a player’s on-field performance and ability, as well as their extracurricular activities, commended Bates for her versatility. In an era of specialization, Bates is a two-sport athlete. She also averaged 18.4 points per game for the Bulldogs basketball program.

East Union slugger Samantha Owen and Pacheco pitcher Gia Rodoni were named to FloSoftball’s second team.

Owen carried the already-accomplished East Union High program to new heights this spring. The Lancers rolled unscathed through the Valley Oak League and then throttled Pioneer in the back-to-back games to win the Division III championship.

Days later, East Union was named Cal-Hi Sports’ D-III state champion for the first time in program history.

Owen, a Pacific commit, set a thundering tone. She hit .643 with 72 hits, 13 doubles and nine home runs. She drove in 61 runs – second most in the section and tied for sixth in the state.

East Union coach Brian Goulart believes the All-American awards identify the Stanislaus District as a softball hotbed.

“I’m just excited for our area. It seems like we’re finally getting some respect. Schools can recruit Northern California,” he said. “This kind of thing is individual, and it’s neat Sam is getting recognized, but it also shows that we have some really good players in our area. You don’t have to go to Los Angeles to find good players. They’re right here.”

Rodoni also made history at Pacheco.

The University of Baylor-bound ace pitched nine shutout innings on the regular season’s final day as the Panthers earned a share of their first conference championship with a 1-0 victory over Bates and Ceres.

Rodoni closed her prep career with a 13-6 record and 0.58 ERA. She fanned 256 batters in 1211/3 innings and allowed just 47 hits.

“The All-American honor just seems to be a fitting way to cap Gia’s high school career and send her off to Baylor,” Pacheco coach Charlie Pikas said. “She’s a special player that comes along once in a long while, and I’m really happy she helped change the culture of Pacheco softball.”

Rodoni, a member of the California Grapettes travel club, was also an all-Western Region selection for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

“It’s awesome,” she said. “All my hard work and dedication have been recognized. I was thinking about it last season when a lot of the players I play travel ball with got this type of recognition. It’s cool to get it, too.”

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 6:27 PM with the headline "All-American girls: Nickles, Bates named to FloSoftball first team."